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Elf

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Elf (2003)

83%
76%
79%
N/A
N/A
N/A
83 %
Reviews Counted: 161 Fresh: 134  Rotten:27 Average Rating: 6.9/10
 
Consensus: Ferrell's funny and charming performance makes Elf a delightful Christmas comedy.
 

How does the Tomatometer work?

The Tomatometer measures the percentage of positive reviews from Approved Tomatometer Critics for a certain movie.[-]

Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins

Theatrical Release: Nov 7, 2003 Wide

Box Office: $173,381,405

Synopsis: This holiday season, discover your inner elf! One Christmas Eve, a long time ago, a small baby at an orphanage crawled into Santa’s bag of toys, only to go undetected and accidentally carried back to Santa’s workshop in the North Pole. Though he was quickly taken under the wing of a... This holiday season, discover your inner elf! One Christmas Eve, a long time ago, a small baby at an orphanage crawled into Santa’s bag of toys, only to go undetected and accidentally carried back to Santa’s workshop in the North Pole. Though he was quickly taken under the wing of a surrogate father and raised to be an elf, as he grows to be three sizes larger than everyone else, it becomes clear that Buddy (Will Ferrell) will never truly fit into the elf world. What he needs is to find his real family. This holiday season, Buddy decides to find his true place in the world and sets off for New York City to track down his roots. Although Buddy experiences a world he never knew existed, he quickly learns that life in the big city is not all ice skating and sugarplums, and he finds himself as much an outsider there as back in the North Pole. Buddy seeks out his real father, Walter (James Caan), a workaholic publisher of children’s books with a place on Santa’s “naughty” list. Walter doesn’t believe Buddy is who or what he says he is; in fact, the only thing Walter believes in with any certainty is the bottom line. Buddy also discovers a new mom (Mary Steenburgen), and learns he has a ten-year-old half-brother (Daniel Tay) who doesn’t believe in Christmas or elves or Santa. In fact, everyone seems to have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas. With the holiday season fast approaching, Buddy takes it upon himself and his earnest elf ways to win over his family, realize his destiny and, ultimately, save Christmas for New York and the world. Will Ferrell (Old School, “Saturday Night Live”) stars as Buddy the elf in New Line Cinema’s family comedy Elf. Directed by Jon Favreau (Made) from an original script written by David Berenbaum (Disney’s upcoming The Haunted Mansion), the film features a stellar supporting cast that includes James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Daniel Tay, with Edward Asner (as Santa Claus) and Bob Newhart (as Papa Elf). Elf is a Guy Walks into a Bar production, produced by Jon Berg, Todd Komarnicki and Shauna Robertson. The executive producers are Toby Emmerich, Kent Alterman, Cale Boyter, Jimmy Miller and Julie Wixson Darmody. The co-producer is David Householter. New Line Cinema will release Elf (rated PG by the M.P.A.A. for “some mild rude humor and language”) nationwide on November 7th, 2003. [More]

Genre: Comedies

Starring: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Edward Asner

Director: Jon Favreau
Screenwriter: David Berenbaum
Producer: Jon Berg, Todd Komarnicki, Shauna Robertson
Composer: John Debney

DVD Info

Release:

Oct 28, 2008

[DVD Details]

Blu-ray Features:

  • Keep Case
  • Full Frame - 1.33

Audio:

  • (unspecified) English

Reviews

 
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1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
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Ratings Image
3/5

Click to read the article

Full Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review
Ratings Image
3/4

Click to read the article

Full Review | comment Comment
12/27/07
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound
Ratings Image
N/A

The result is a turkey.

Full Review | comment Comment
11/27/07
Mark Kermode
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image
N/A

The film soon bogs down in fake hugs and a fakier climax involving Santa (Ed Asner) and his downed sled.

Full Review | comment 1 Comment
11/27/07
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader
Ratings Image
4/4

A delightful, slapstick adventure about a naïve innocent, woefully ill equipped to handle the rigors of life inside any impatiently unforgiving metropolis.

Full Review | comment Comment
05/25/07
Kam Williams
Afro-American
Ratings Image
3/5

Ferrell's man-child invites sympathy and sniggers, making this amusing despite some flimsy plotting. Sight gags and a Santa-centred story should keep the kids happy, too.

Full Review | comment Comment
12/30/06
Anna Smith
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image
3/4

Si usted desea una -siempre saludable- dosis de espíritu navideño y comedia sana, envueltas en una historia predecible pero contada con talento, vaya a ver Elf.

Full Review | comment Comment
05/02/06
Flavio J. Arosemena
Doncinema.com
Ratings Image
N/A

Some humour might sail over the heads of the very young, but there's a higher chuckle rate for the grown-ups than much dread 'family' fare.

Full Review | comment Comment
01/26/06
Trevor Johnston
Time Out
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B+

Exudes genuine holiday cheer.

Full Review | comment Comment
05/03/05
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
Ratings Image
4.5/5

For those of you with a belly laugh on your wish list, Christmas has come early this year.

Full Review | comment Comment
11/15/04
Sean O'Connell
Filmcritic.com
Ratings Image
9/10

This is a family picture that everyone should enjoy.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/07/04
Tony Medley
tonymedley.com
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3.5/5

A charming, wholesome Christmas film with a lot of holiday spirit.

Full Review | comment Comment
08/13/04
Mark Sells
Oregon Herald
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N/A

I love watching Ferrell do his gangly, clueless shtick, and even here, there’s something inherently funny about just seeing him in a big, green elf suit. There’s something inherently funny about Ferrell -- period.

Full Review | comment Comment
08/07/04
Peter Rainer
New York Magazine
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N/A

I can't believe Gnome Alone with Will Ferrell is my third favorite Christmas movie.

Full Review | comment Comment
05/16/04
Martin Scribbs
Low IQ Canadian
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N/A

Elf is no great gift, but it’s cheery enough that you probably won’t ask for your money back.

Full Review | comment Comment
02/09/04
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly
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4/5

It's just good, clean fun.

Full Review | comment Comment
01/15/04
Kim Linekin
eye WEEKLY
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2/5

With a little tweaking, this could be a horror film.

Full Review | comment Comment
01/15/04
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image
N/A

Ferrell is lunatic perfect, skirting the sillier sentimentality of the story, while never missing an opportunity to indulge in its darker, more ridiculous excesses.

Full Review | comment Comment
12/31/03
Prairie Miller
Long Island Press
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4/5

Like School of Rock, Elf is an unexpected but thoroughly delightful surprise.

Full Review | comment Comment
12/31/03
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Ratings Image
3.5/4

Will Ferrell simply glows.

Full Review | comment Comment
12/25/03
Jeffrey Westhoff
Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
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News

RT's Top Yuletide Comedies -- Christmas Countdown, Day One
posted by Jeff Giles December 18, 2006
Welcome to RT's Five Days of Christmas Countdown, where we serve up a different list each day of the best holiday flicks...


Will Ferrell Refuses "Elf 2" and "Old School 2"
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There's been a few rumors flying around lately that Will Ferrell might be doing another "Elf" and will...


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Will Ferrell Nixes "Elf 2" But Digs "Old School 2"?
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Around the Network

• Elf at Rotten Tomatoes
• Elf at IGN
• Elf at AskMen
 
 
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